Redemption
by Blackheart Ravensoul
Summary: Wesker doesn't die in the vulcano. To escape a fate worse than death he attempts to walk the path to redemption, but can he truly change to save himself?
1. Chapter 1

Redemption

Chapter 1: In hell

WARNING! SPOILERS!

It hurt, this kind of pain was hard to imagine. The anger and desperation had dulled the pain before but now it was excruciating. It wasn't just around him now, no it had gotten inside as well, the red hot burning heat. The temperature hot enough to melt flesh in seconds, a human would not have survived being waist deep in it, no. But he wasn't human, however that only meant that his suffering would be inhuman. Buried under hot rocks, drowning in the burning juices of the earth with his flesh burning to a crisp and instantly healing itself, only to burn again. The pain too strong to bear as the hot liquid burned his insides pouring in through the wounds, through his lips as he struggled not to scream, in sheer agony.

He had died once and he thought he knew the pain already but this, this made him wish he was dead. His heart beat like it was about to punch a hole in his chest and jump out. Only on thought now in his mind " What if this will never end?". Fear of never being found by either a living being or the cold hand of Death, it no longer mattered. For the first time in his life tears found a way out of those reptilian eyes. Will he not be shown mercy and allowed to die, so he may be free from this living hell?

Mercy, a word so unfamiliar to him. He has never been one to show mercy for others. No, not even when he was still human. All that mater was his ambition, his goals. It was always about him, others were just tools, stepping stones in what he thought to be his personal stairway to godship. How wrong he was, the stairway he built for himself was one that led to hell. Now the flames of hate he himself lit were burning him alive, over and over again. This was the path he made for himself. Those who show no mercy, receive none.

He did not expect to make it out alive. There was no brilliant plan B, no escape route planned. His first and only plan should have been a success and he should be a god now. Not a god but rather a demon, an angel fallen from grace, burning in his own sins. All he wished for was death, it had to come, but how much longer?

The lava was rising, soon he will be unable to breath. Sinking deeper he prayed for the end. Red heat filling his lungs, with each breath they would burn and then heal. "Anything, I will do anything. Just get me out of here" he could only repeat that in his mind.

The pain intensified as it shook his whole body. He was on the brink of losing his sanity, thou many fought he lost years ago. No longer able to keep his eyes open for the heat was too intense he closed them in hopes of never having to open them again. Alas, another wave of pain hit his tormented body and his eyes shot open in reflects. He was certain he suffered great damage for opening his eyes under the hot lava for he could see something moving towards him. But through the pain he didn't see clearly. No doubt it was an illusion, a hallucination caused by the pain. He finally lost his sanity. Fear once again overwhelmed him. The radiant figure seemed human, but it was impossible, a human could not survive this deep in the lava.

The pain seemed to vanish, he was naked in the sea of white light. In front of him stood a hooded figure.

"Have you come to save me?"

The figure just laughed in a cold voice.

"Save you? Why should I ?You haven't done a single good thing in your entire life! You are not worth saving!"

"Please I will do anything! Save me!"

"I'm afraid I don't have that power.".

"Then why are you here, if not to save me?"

"I wanted to see the truth of what you really are for myself" The mysterious figure answered, it's voice was all too familiar to the man, but the shock prevented him from realizing it earlier.

"Who are you?"

"I think you already know" the figure took off the hood and the face under it was his own.

"Who are you" he spoke in disbelief

"I am what you could have been, had you taken the right path. You could have been a god. Sadly you chose to become a demon. And demons are not worth saving" the image vanished.

He was once again torn by searing pain. Unable to stop himself he screamed, hot juice of the planet running down his throat, choking him. It seemed he had lost consciousness for a second. Glancing down to see how deep he had sunken into the lava he saw a black abyss beneath him and something rising out of it, like hands reaching to drag him down to the very bowels of hell. It had gotten hotter, he wondered how much longer would this torture last. Until he reached the core of the planet , perhaps? Days, maybe a week. The thought made cut at his heart like a knife. Even the thought of having to endure another second of this torture was unbearable, but another day, another week. He wished he would just die right there and be done with it. His body was useless, too damaged to move, it could heal itself, but even that was becoming difficult. His flesh burning faster than it could recover.

"Please, make end. Just kill me, already" he begged, unsure if any godly force was listening." I can't go back and undo the things I've done, so just let me die, please" he felt pathetic, begging like this but now it was all he could do, even with the power he possessed he was helpless.

His body finally reached its limits, the regeneration stopped. Now he really was done for. Closing his eyes his lips curved into a smile as he thought about the end of his suffering as he sank into the abyss of what he could only describe as hell. Diving into the darkness he lost his consciousness.

The lava reached the tunnels that led to the surface it was flowing out in burning red waterfalls from the sides of the volcano. The rivers of fire stretched far and wide slowly cooling and hardening. As water and fire collided the torrents of a nearby river embraced the body of the man known as Albert Wesker. As the water cooled burnt flesh its current carried him away into the rising sun.


	2. Chapter 2

Redemption

Chapter 2: Oasis

Wesker slowly opened his eyes just to find they were covered with something. He raised his hand to remove it but pain shot through his body the moment he tried to move. This pain could mean only one thing- he was still alive. He could not believe it, even after he was blown to pieces and burned alive in the depths of the fiery hell, he was alive. Now all he needed to do was wait for his body to heal. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep; being awake made him more aware of the pain from all the injuries.

When he awoke again it was due to the bright light. Opening his eyes he found himself in an unfamiliar place. It was a small round house made of straws and wood. The light was pouring in through the holes in the walls that were supposed to be windows. To his surprise the pain was gone. How was he asleep? Not long enough for all of the burns to heal, that's for sure. Something didn't feel right. Getting out of bed he noticed somebody had dressed him, strange long robes didn't appeal to him, but it better than being naked in this strange place.

The outside of the house was not much to look at but the nature that surrounded the house was amazing. All kinds of plants and flowers surrounded a round pond. Butterflies of various colors flying all around the garden, tall palm trees casting a shade, humming birds gathering nectar, the sparkling gold colored fish in the pond. It was like a little paradise in the middle of nowhere. Just beyond the garden was a nothing but sand, hills of sand, burning hot in the morning sun.

Going back inside to his own surprise Wesker found a woman, a very strange woman. Her skin was dark but her hair was snow white. As she turned to face him he noticed the colors of her eyes were different: one was icy- blue, the other amber – yellow.

"Your awake" she spoke" good, now we can begin." She smiled mysteriously" I am Shai" she added.

"Where is this place?" he asked, wondering how far he will have to walk back to civilization.

"This is not a place, not one that could be reached by anybody at any time."

The woman was making no sense.

"What desert is that?" he changed the question, hoping he could learn his current geographical location.

"What dessert? There is no desert"

The woman was making him lose his patience. Grabbing her by the hand Wesker pulled her out into the garden and pointed at the sand dunes.

"Then explain this to me"

"All I see is flowers, but then again everybody sees different things .I cannot see what you see because what you see is a vision of your inner world. "

"What?"

"This oasis is real, but outside, oh, outside depends on the person whose walking it. One sees mountains, another a forest, people told they see many different things, but a desert, that's a place with no life in it. "

"What's so bad about that?"

"Nothing if you want to be the only living thing in an endless hell of heat and sand." Shai gave a disappointed sigh." It seems I have my work cut out for me."

"I am grateful for your help but must be on my way now."

"And where do you think you're going?" she asked

"I have business to take off , there are people looking for me. I need to get back to work"

"You still don't get, do you?" she laughed" You can't leave here."

"And who's going to stop me? You?"

He walked towards the approaching dunes and he was about to set his foot onto the sand when something pulled him back. He was where he stood just moments ago.

"Told you can't leave, not yet anyway. "

"Why can't I leave?"

"This place is not part of the world. It exists only here and now, when the times comes it will disappear. But right now it exists for you."

"When this place disappears, then I will be able to go back?"

"I depends"

"On what?"

"On you. "

Wesker was totally confused.

"Now let's have a look" she said smiling.

She pointed her finger to the pond and images appeared in its surface. It was an image of Wesker in a S.T.A.R.S. uniform. He recognized the place, it was the mansion on the night of the first outbreak he was talking to Birkin.

"You remember?" Shai looked at him" this is the night you betrayed your friends.

Wesker wanted to object, they were never his friends. He infiltrated the division hoping to use them in some way, the night of the mansion incident was the perfect occasion and he used it. But then he remembered sitting at his desk and watching his men fool around through the top of his newspaper, or when Chris won the shooting contest, Wesker felt proud, thou he never admitted it to anyone, they had a party to celebrate the win and took a photo- all of S.T.A.R.S. together.

Shaking his head he dismissed it. It meant nothing now, like the woman said he betrayed them, most of the members were dead now. And the surviving few dedicated their lives to making his a living hell.

The image in the pond change and he saw a woman in a hospital bed. She looked so much different that it took him some time recognize her.

"She loved you, you know" Shai spoke sadly.

He knew her once, while was the captain of the special unit, she loved him but he never returned the feeling.

"You abandoned her and you son"

Soon after the boy came into this world the mansion incident took place, Wesker became a traitor and abandoned his humanity, then he fled the city. After the Raccoon city incident he just assumed they both died.

"The boy loves his mother, to help pay her hospital bills he chose to become a mercenary. Now he is hunted by the world for having you genes."

Wesker gazed upon the present day image of his son. He did look a lot like his father. Jake was a man, a soldier, not the noisy baby he vaguely remembered.

"You betrayed those who cared for you, ruined lives of the innocent and gave up your humanity. So tell me are you happy? Did you get everything you wanted? "

"No" he surprised himself by saying that.

"What you mean no? After all the pain and betrayal, you still haven't have enough?

Chris got in his way, that was why. But he was only human, humans are weak, how could he lose to someone so weak? It wasn't Redfield after all. No, it was him. He lost because he didn't pay attention, he was too angry with Chris to notice the sign that the volcano was about to erupt, and the earthquakes are hard to miss. Damn it, he didn't notice the incoming helicopter until the last minute. He made too many mistakes.

"It's not like I can go back and do it all again" he said in self-defense.

"No you can't" Shai agreed" But you can chose what path to take. In another world there is another you, who lived a different life."

The pond was showing the other Wesker. He lived with his wife and son in a large country house. He led a special bio weapon counter group alongside former S.T.A.R.S members and his son. They were regarded as heroes saving the world from bio- terrorists.

"This is the life you could have had, if you made right choice." Shai pointed out." You can still make it.

"And if I don't?"

"Well then you will suffer for your mistakes."

"Haven't I already?"

"The volcano was just a little taste, real hell is a thousand times hotter" it almost seemed she laughed at the statement. " You have to make up your mind by the time this place disappears. If you don't, well, I hope you like deserts, because you will be stuck in one for the rest of eternity. Stuck between worlds."


	3. Chapter 3

Redemption

Chapter 3: The Shadow of Chernobyl

It has been three years since that day. The day Chris defeated Wesker, in truth the B.S.A.A. agent thought he would feel happier about the whole thing. But with nothing to do it was just boring. With the man gone they didn't have to deal with bioweapons and deadly viruses as often as before. After the incident in China everything calmed down. It's been a year since then, that's why when he received the news this morning Chris Redfield was surprised that it put it him into a bad mood.

He and a few others were to investigate a rumor that has been around for some time. Everyone was concerned with the crisis in Ukraine, but nobody expected the resistance to use B.O.W's. However there was no proof that they actually did it. Some claimed to have seen monsters in the streets, others claim to have seen dead soldiers rise up and attack the enemies. Investigations didn't reveal much, but one thing was clear, somebody sold something that closely resembled bioweapons to the resistance in Ukraine. With all the major companies that were involved in making B.O.W's taken out of the game, who was left to make viral weapons? Unlike before people didn't turn into zombies, there was no outbreak and after they appeared the weapons would vanish into thin air.

There was a strange rumor about a place known only as the Zone, the 60 km. area around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Since the fourth reactor exploded in 1986, releasing deadly radiation across several countries, the nearby city of Pripyat as well as several surrounding villages and towns have been abandoned.

However around year 2000 rumors of strange vegetation and wild life began to circulate. Strange occurrences were spotted by the military stationed at the borders of this area. Mysterious solid substances referred to as artifacts could be found in some places. It was soon after all this the first outsiders entered the Zone. Referring to themselves as Stalkers they went into the Zone to search for artifacts and sell them to people outside the Zone. Despite the government attempts to stop them, the number of Stalkers increased. More and more people came to the Zone. Some in hopes to get rich, some to escape from the law, others in order to solve the mysteries surrounding it, and some seeking the mysterious Wish Granter.

Chris gave a loud sigh after reading the mission description. He didn't like it, not one bit. But he had to admit that a place like that was a good place to keep secrets. The Zone and everything about it was one big mystery. He should have been happy to get back into action, but something didn't feel right. He had a really bad feeling about this one. Just few night ago he had a strange dream.

It was dark and stormy, he was running in a field of tall dry grass. Then the grass set on fire from the lightning. As he ran he saw something in the distance, it looked like the outline of a power plant. Just then lightning flashed and he saw a dark figure blocking his path. Before he woke up he managed to see the face of the man, it was Wesker.

Chris knew it was impossible, still he suggested it to his superiors.

"You know better than anybody that Wesker is dead, you killed him! Besides if he was alive I don't think he would have waited three years to get back at you."

The agent knew it was the truth, but the feeling he got was real too. He shook it off, preparations needed to be made. The government of Ukraine kept the existence of the Zone top secret ,and only know to a few outside of it, as far as the rest of the world was concerned it was just a radioactive area that was closed off to the public for obvious reasons. Chris, Leon, and Jill will be entering the Zone disguised as stalkers. He " couldn't wait" for his first Russian class later in the afternoon.

* * *

It was dark, the rusted metal fence had warning signs all over it. On the other side was a plain dry field. The guard walked with a flashlight in one hand and his assault rifle in the other. Soaked to the bone by the chilling rain. He yawned, thinking about the long way back to the camp and cursing in Russian. A dark shadow dashed behind him, in a single jump it leaped over the fence and landed on the other side. The guard turned around, he saw nothing. Shaking his head he kept on walking.

A man in a black leather trench coat ran across the field. His face obscured by the wide hood , long black scarf flapping behind him. Lightning flashed. The sound of barking and howling could be heard. A pack of blind mutated dogs was out on a hunt. They picked up a sent. The man sensed them approaching. The growling was getting closer. Pulling out a silenced pistol he shot one in midair as the beast was about to jump him. The pack surrounded the corpse of dead dog and gave loud howl before sinking their teeth into the still warm flesh. The man continued to run. The storm was getting fierce- he needed to find shelter. There things much worse than dogs wandering under the rain.

(S.T.A.L.K.E.R. meets Resident Evil, somehow my brain turned this into a cross over, Wow, didn't see that coming . The game is really good, those who haven't played it really should play it. Those who have played S.T.A.L.K.E.R. will know I'm not lying. )


	4. Chapter 4

Redemption

Chapter 4: Surviving in the Zone

He watched them run. Three of them, getting closer, finally, he was tired of waiting for them to show up. Suddenly one of them fell, there was no shot, no sound – something was wrong.

The trio was close to the rendezvous point when Sasha fell behind. He dropped his gun and stopped to pick it up that's when he heard it. Breathing, heavy loud right next to him he turned around but there was nothing there. Before he could move sharp claws pierced his armor, next blow cut the flesh. The other two turned around, Sasha was standing there one moment and then he collapsed, all covered in blood. They ran back to their comrade, he was dead.

"Shit" the man cursed.

Something moved in the grass, there was nobody in sight only the sound of heavy breathing.

"Bloodsuckers. This is not good, we have to go, now."

The two picked up Sasha's bag and gun, not like he will need them anymore. They ran towards the abandoned factory. But they didn't get far, the sound of breathing was right behind them.

"We will not get anywhere like this. There's at least two of them" Victor tossed his bag to the last member of the team." Go it will deal with these bloodsucking motherfuckers" Holding his gun he started shooting at random directions.

Sonja ran as fast as she could. They got careless, now they paid the price. There have never been any bloodsuckers in this area before. Looking back she saw Victor collapse and the creature finally becoming visible. Then she turned away and ran towards the destination.

He sat on an old box, hidden by the shadows and observed the scene outside. All of this started three days ago. At first he was planning to get to Pripyat on his own, since getting in was easy Wesker figured the rest won't be much difficult. Soon it turned out no one in the Cordon area knew anything about what he wanted to know. Since it was the very edge of the Zone most there were rookies who came there in hopes of grabbing some artifacts and getting out. They didn't know anything about the center of the Zone. Those who did know, wanted compensation.

Wesker ended up fighting a group of bandits, looking for a lost stalker, who turned up in a spring board anomaly very much dead, and clearing out the mutants from some old farm house. All that got him was some old legends that only caused more questions. Things like the Wish Granted and the Brain Scorcher. At first he was skeptical about all that and the mutants didn't seem that tough. Blind dogs, mutated pigs and wild boars.

After making his way to the garbage he began to seriously reconsider the whole idea. The navigation devices he brought with him proved to be worthless. Giant mountains of radioactive junk and strange magnetic fields surrounding it ,quickly made him lose his way. After spending the night outside with no people around for miles he realized he will need help getting to Pripyat. The nights were much worse than the day. As soon as he got to the garbage his compass started pointing at some random direction, but Wesker didn't notice, not at first. He made a wrong turn and got into a fight a bandit group. Getting away wasn't easy even when they only had pistols, there were too many of them. Out of the pan and into an electro anomaly. Just when he thought he would be safe in the forest his path was blocked by the blue electric waves in the ground. A flesh ran into the thing scared by Wesker's sudden appearance, and the anomaly went boom, the pig mutant was dead.

Even with superior reflexes he didn't want to take his chances. Things just weren't the same after the swim in the volcano. With no other choice left he walked along the edge of the anomaly until it ended. It lead to a dead end. In front was nothing but a giant pile of trash, that emitted ration strong enough to kill a man in five minutes if he tried to climb it. It was alright as long you stayed on the safe side of the barrier- a line of signs with radiation warnings.

By the time he got around the pile of garbage it had gotten dark. A storm was beginning. There were no buildings in sight, nothing that could be used as shelter. After wandering around for what seemed like hours he found a bus. It was broken and rusted the windows were broken but it was better than nothing. Squeezing through the broken door he lied down on the back seat waiting for morning. That night he didn't get any sleep. The sounds kept him awake. At first he only hear the thunder but then gunshots and an explosion, people screaming somewhere not far away. Dogs and mutated wolves howling, and pigs moving around, but also something he never heard before. A growl, that almost seemed human it was moving near the bus. It was too dark too see what it was but it moved around and several times. Also the loud meowing, as if a cat was there but too different from a house cat.

He wondered around asking for anyone who would take him to Pripyat but everybody seemed reluctant to go there, not even for money. They all said it was too dangerous, no safe path was yet discovered. Finally he caught wind of a person who made it there and back several times, however they were hard to find. All he had was name written in Russian.

Finally he made it to the "100 Rad" bar. After shoving the note for what could have been the thousandth time the man pointed him to a person at the back of the bar. That person turned out to be a girl.

"Sure, I can take you to where you want to go" the girl spoke English well, probably one of the few there who actually knew any other language." But right now I have another job, you will have to wait three days. I will take you then- if I'm still alive."

The girl left the bar with a group of men in black stalker suits and gas masks. This was how he met Sonja. She was in her early twenties but was regarded by many as an elite stalker and guide to difficult to reach places. Rumors had it she was doing a big job for scientists in Yantar.

Three days was a lot of time, Wesker took good used of it. Most people didn't like to talk to talk about the mysterious happenings in the Zone but once you got them enough vodka and got them alone things could go a different way.

Most of the things he heard him, it seemed to be some kind of code but he didn't ask too much, afraid to cause suspicion. But he learned enough to get a good feel on how things were around here and why nobody wanted to go to Pripyat.

Because of the Brain Scorcher it was impossible before, anybody who got near would get their brain fried and turn into zombie like creatures with only small traces of humanity left. But about a year ago some crazy guy got a special thingy from the scientists and went into the lab under the Scorcher and turned it off. But that didn't make it safe. There is a legend about the black crystal. The Monolith- the Wish Granter that exists inside the Chernobyl NPP. A group of fanatics who worship the Monolith kill anyone who comes close to it. The Monolith group is a strong military organization with religious fanaticism and high tech gear as their weapons. Pripyat has been their stronghold for many years, they somehow managed to resist the effects of the Scorcher. This was indeed a dangerous quest.

Sonja stood before him in the light of the dim afternoon sun.

"Here is a five day supply of food ammo and everything else you might need" she threw a bag pack at him" let go."


End file.
